Though purists will find Maynard Ferguson's This Is Jazz, Vol. 16 frustratingly incomplete, it isn't designed for them. The entire This is Jazz series is targeted at casual fans and neophytes, who only want a sampling of a famous jazz artist. In that sense, this disc does its job quite well, featuring both his crossover hits ("Gonna Fly Now," "McArthur Park") and his stabs at big band and bop. Of course, this only is the tip of the iceberg as far as Ferguson's work goes – after all, it only features his music for Columbia – but it's enough to spark the interest of anyone wanting to explore his catalog.

Ferguson’s 1986 re-invention After the release of 1983’s Storm, and the following year’s Live From San Francisco, Maynard Ferguson was on a creative roll. When Body & Soul appeared in 1986, Ferguson himself said “It’s my best album in many years! Bear in mind, this is music we’ve worked on for some time, re-designing it and changing it-the tunes are not something we just hatched for a studio session.” And, re-design, he did, removing some brass from the band’s lineup, and replacing them with guitar and percussion.

First time on CD for this expanded edition of the 1981 compilation from the Jazz legend. Maynard Ferguson is one of the premier trumpet players of all time. His legacy leaves a wealth of highly regarded Jazz albums recorded over three decades. This edition adds two rare bonus tracks: 'Rocky II Disco' and 'Gabriel'. Most of trumpeter Maynard Ferguson's recordings for Columbia were rather erratic, alternating very commercial pop performances with occasional jazz selections. This sampler LP reissues eight of the latter, allowing jazz listeners to truly get the "best of" Ferguson from the 1970s. Certainly few but Maynard's greatest fans will want to get his album Hot just for this version…

The "screaming" trumpeter, a Canadian brassman and bandleader who got his start with Stan Kenton's orchestra before a storied solo career. He was noted for being able to play accurately in a remarkably high register, and for his bands, which served as stepping stones for up-and-coming talent.

Trumpeter Maynard Ferguson led his greatest big band during the years that he was signed to Roulette and all of the music from his 13 Roulette LPs (plus 11 previously unissued selections) are included on this deluxe limited-edition ten-CD box set. Although three of the LPs were originally recorded as dance records (and stick close to the melodies), this box as a whole finds Maynard at his peak and with an orchestra that includes such talented soloists as trombonists Slide Hampton and Don Sebesky (both of whom contributed arrangements), altoist Lanny Morgan, the tenors of Carmen Leggio, Willie Maiden, Joe Farrell, and Don Menza, pianists Jaki Byard and Joe Zawinul, and drummer Rufus Jones in addition to the leader. The music is very jazz-oriented and contains more than its share of classic moments, particularly the sessions that resulted in A Message From Newport and Newport Suite. It's highly recommended.

This is one of the best Maynard Albums that he ever put out.It's also one of my favorite Maynard albums ever. "Big Bop Nouveau" is a lot warmer than the machine-like drill teams he used to front, and even the arrangements are less showy. Ferguson himself contributes some good solos. For me though the album has 2 major musical highlights ~ alto saxophonist Christopher Hollyday's breakneck reading of Ray Noble's Cherokee and the unaccompanied sax quartet half way through the reading of 'crusin' for a bluesin' is sheer brilliance.

The music on these sides is the product of different sessions that represent, between them, a veritable Blue Book of West Coast jazz. At the head of each ensemble, enjoying himself to the full, is trumpeter extraordinary Maynard Ferguson. Most of the men heard in this CD were old friends, either colleagues from the Stan Kenton band or Californians with whom he had worked on and off for several years. 18 total tracks originally recorded in 1950-54.

Until the early 50 s, Maynard Ferguson's fantastic technique was often said to obscure every other aspect of his work. With the tracks at hand, he revealed himself as a fine all-round musician, band leader and brilliant soloist, both in trumpet and valve trombone. Bill Homan whose works can be considered as some of the most representative of the West Coast school of jazz once said, "I've always tried to write things that sound like jazz, not like Bach revisited." Thanks to his arrangements and to the exceptional musicians who perform them, Ferguson expresses himself in a way he had never previously found possible.

Limited Edition 10 CD set of only 5,000 copies worldwide.After immersing yourself in nine hours and 141 tracks of the Ferguson orchestra of the late 1950s and early sixties, Double high Cs will be ringing in your brain for months.Ferguson gave the orchestra a signature sound and much of its drive, but this was an arrangers’ band.The high-note trumpeter had charts from established writers like Marty Paich, Bill Holman, Ernie Wilkins and Benny Golson, but he also encouraged arrangements from band members, and launched the arranging careers of Slide Hampton, Don Menza, Mike Abene and Don Sebesky.Simply Amazing!.

Fabulous Maynard in his mid-60's form.This CD is interesting as it contains two albums Maynard recorded for the Camden label in 1964.It's swinging, straight-ahead jazz, with a number of high-note trumpet features for Maynard and some tasty solos by some of his talented sidemen.Wonderful.